My Culinary Trial Room

So how was your Christmas? Mine was great filled with loads of fun, lots of gifts and cartloads of happiness and love and we are all set to receive the new year with the same spirit. Last two weeks were super busy with pappu's holiday party and Christmas baking and then followed by his Christmas holidays. This week has been a rollercoaster ride, first it was pappu down with the flu and then it came down to me. Boy O Boy, how I wish I was resistant to the cold.
Its been simple rasam saadam for the past one week and only today did I make something yummy, something simple and something that reminded me of my mom, childhood and nagercoil.

Coming to this recipe, I made these for my son's Chirstmas party. The kids enjoyed these totally diving in head first into the frosting. I don't know what but there is something about carrot cupcakes and cream cheese frosting that makes it totally divine and irresistible. This recipe is a keeper and it makes the softest of the soft cupcakes and the smoothest frosting that pairs perfectly with these cupcakes.

Adapted from here
~*What U Need*~
All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cups
Baking powder - 1/2 + 1/8 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Ground cinnamon - 1/2 + 1/8 tsp
Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Ground cloves - a pinch
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Carrots - 1/2 lb, peeled and grated
Granulated sugar - 3/4 cups
Light brown sugar - 1/4 cup
Large eggs - 2
Vegetable oil - 3/4 cup

For the frosting:
Cream cheese - 6 oz, not softened
Unsalted butter - 4 tbsp, room temperatue
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tbsp
Confectioners' sugar - 2 cups

How I Made it:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line one cupcake pan with paper liners. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt; whisk together and set aside. Add the carrots to the bowl with the dry ingredients and set aside. In a stand mixer, whip the sugar and eggs until light and frothy. Add the oil with the mixer at medium speed. Beat till the mixture is light. Stir in the carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Scoop evenly into the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for about 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, add milk to bring to the desired consistency and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Serve with love!!!